Wire-stretcher.



A. S. LARSON.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION lu-:0 MAY 12, 1911.

Rm 1 w e m h. d AM H m P 3 l QJ .L flu 2 1 4 6 3 1. 8 6 2 y 11 R o T N E V N WITN ESSES AfiTOH .L arson ATTORNEY ANTON S. LARSON, OF IBAPAIL'UTAI-I, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES R. FELT,

01? IBAPAI-I, UTAH. I

WIRE-STRETCHEIR.

To allwkom it may concern."

Be it known that I, ANTON S. LARsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at -Tbapah, in the county of Tooele and State of Utah, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire stretchers,

and more particularly to a device for stretching Wire strands used in the construction of fences by means of which the W1re strand may be drawn taut betweenthe' fence posts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire stretcher employing the lever and fulcrum principle of operation; the fulcrum being obtained by engaging a portion of the device with the fence post, while the lever/is disposed to swing around the fence post in a horizontal plane.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of this character that will include means for bringing the post-engaging portions .of the wire partially around the post to facilitate the attaching of binding or securing wires when the post is rotted or decayed and prohibits the use of staples or the like.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a wire stretcher which consists of comparatively few parts and is simple in construction, but durable and well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which devices of this character are ordinarily subjected.

For a full. description of the invention and the advantages and merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device constructed in accordance with my invention, and showing the same applied to a fence post and a strand of wire.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view.

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the manner of using the device in another capacity.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 3, the wire being partially drawn around the post. I

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the post and a fragmentary portion of a strand of wire, showing the securing wire in position.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Referring to the drawing, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my invention, and in which like numerals of refer= ence indicate corresponding parts' throughout the several views, the shank 1 has one end provided with a socket 2 inwhich is received one end of a hand lever 3. The hand lever is held in the socket by a bolt or rivet 41 extended through openings in the side walls of the socket and through an opening in the end of the handle. The handle may be of any desired length for the purpose of obtaining sufficient leverage to conveniently operate the stretcher.

The opposite end of the shank has a curved bill 5, the terminal of which is provided with an opening for the reception of a bolt 6. F rom the edge of the straight:

portion of the shank is projecteda lug 7, and the end of this lug carries a yoke 8 pivotally mounted on a pivot bolt 9, the end of which is screw threadedly mountedin the end of the lug 7. The arms of the yoke 8 arebifurcated as clearly shown by Fig. 2 of the drawing. One end of a chain 10 is 1 fastened to one side of the yoke'and the e posite side of the yoke is provided with laterally spaced apart ears 11, between which any one of the links of the chain may be re ceived for the purpose of attaching the chain to the post, so that the yoke and the chain may embrace the post as shown to advantage in Fig. 1. It will be obvious that this construction permits the device to swing around the post when the lever 3 is pulled in either direction in a horizontal plane.

On each side of the curved bill 5, I have provided a wire fastening means which consists of a raised shoulder 12 projecting from the side of the bill, and provided with a cutout for forming a channel 13. Pivotally mounted above the shoulder is a locking dog 14, the same having a handle 15 by which the dog may be actuated. The body portion of the dog is eccentrically mounted in the usual manner, and the edge thereof has a plurality of serrations to engage the strand of wire when the latter is received in the channel, so that the dog may tightly bind against the wire to hold the wire in secured position. One of these devices will be on each side of the bill as clearly shown by Fig. 2 of the drawing, so that a double wire may be stretched if desired.

Patented June 4., 1918. Application filed May 12, 1917. Serial'No. 168,200. i

' for the lever and the wire securing device Assuming that the wire is attached in one of the channels and the device is mounted on the fence post as shown by Fig. 1, it will be only necessary to grasp the lever 3 and pull the same around the post in a horizontal plane in the direction indicated by the arrow. The post will then act as a fulcrum will retain a firm grip on the wire, so that when the lever is actuated, the wire will be thoroughly stretched and brought into engagement with the fence post so that a staple may be employed to fasten the wire to the post.

It sometimes happens, that a fence post is decayed to such an extent as to prohibit the use of staples or other similar fastening ele ments, and it is then necessary to use binding wires which consist ofshort pieces of suitable wire as shown by Fig. 4 of the drawing. To bring the wire strand into position to use these fastening wires, I have provided the hooks 16 which are pivotally mounted upon the bolt 6 carried by the end of the bill 5. Each hook consists of a shank having teeth 17 provided on each edge, and

- when the device is disposed as shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing, the teeth may engage the strand of wire A, while the bill 5 engages the post on the side opposite. to the wire. When the lever is pressed downwardly, the curved portion of the bill, will act as a fulcrum for the lever and the hooks will be drawn toward the operator to bring the engaging portion of the strand of wire par- Oopies of this patent may tially around the fence post as shown by Fig. 4: of the drawing. It will then be held in this position until one of the wires B may be placed around the post and fixed to the fence wire. The fence wire will thus be held against displacement without the use of staples or the like.

Fromthe foregoing it Will be observed that a very simple and durable wire stretcher has been provided, the details of which embody the preferred form. I desire it to be understood, however, that slight changes in the minor details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

I claim:

A fence wire stretcher comprising a shank having a curved bill formed at one end, a lever attached to the opposite end, each side of the said bill being provided with raised shoulders each having a channel formed therein, a locking dog pivotally mounted,

and operable in the said channel to engage the fence wire for retaining the latter in the channel, and means mounted on the shank to engage a fence post for providing a fulcrum for the shank when the lever is actuated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two-witnesses.

, ANTON S. LARSON. Witnesses:

CLARENCE FELT, MOREL RICHARDS.

be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G. 

